


Keep On Changing

by ShadeofGreen



Category: Persona | Revelations Persona
Genre: Gen, Prompt Fill, minor appearances of the p1 cast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-11
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-02-01 01:49:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12694551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeofGreen/pseuds/ShadeofGreen
Summary: Naoya knew it was a matter of time before the nine friends parted ways. He knew that they would all move on without each other, going their separate ways. He made the first move after all.Naoya just didn’t except it to be more difficult than he thought.(Original Prompt Link Here: http://megatenpersonaprompts.tumblr.com/post/145310673747/prompt-sail)





	Keep On Changing

**Author's Note:**

> Because I can't hyperlink to save my life and if you just happened to be on mobile and can't access the link I gave in the summary, this is actual prompt:  
> Prompt: Sail   
> Just because the bonds you forged are deep doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll actively be in each other’s lives forever. Sometimes, even the closest friends are just two ships passing at sea. Naoya attempts to move on with his life after all that’s happened.
> 
> I honestly don't think I did it justice at all, but at least an attempt was made. Please excuse any spelling, grammar, ooc-ness (although how can I make a close enough blank slate ooc?), and canon mistake facts. Oh, and I'm using the manga name for the P1 Protag.

Naoya was the first one to leave out of their group. He told them so suddenly on their last day together. While everyone was shock, they all promised each other they would meet up again. When they didn’t know, but the nine of them knew it would happened.

Despite agreeing with them, Naoya’s heart told him otherwise. They only became friends because of the SEBBEC incident. If it weren’t for that, they would have been casual schoolmates that would never speak to again past graduation. Naoya knew it was a matter of time before they all went their separate ways.

He made the first move after all. 

* * *

The reunion in Sumaru City four years later proved his point.

A part of Naoya honestly didn’t wanted to go. He was happy with his life, and he wasn’t going to spend the time and money to go to a different city. He made new friends, and they all became friends naturally, not by something out of their control.

Another part of Naoya wanted to go though. Just to prove he was wrong about them going their separate ways. He wanted to all of his friends’ smiling faces again.

He wanted to see Yuka acting as her cheerful self, with Yukino trying to reel her in. He wanted to see Mark and Nanjo bicker among each other like the friends they are, with Reiji acting standoffish to pretend he doesn’t know them. He wanted Brown to tell his lame jokes, with Elly laughing politely to not hurt his feelings. He wanted to see Maki laughing at them all.

Naoya wanted things to go back to the way they were.

When Naoya walked through the door, he saw Yuka and Mark weren’t there. When he asked them why they weren’t there, they didn’t bother to give him a proper answer. They were just so _happy_ to see their former leader being with them. They all asked, “Isn’t it great we’re back together again?”

He gave them all a false smile. “It sure is. I’m glad to see all of you again.”

When the party was over, Naoya didn’t bother to say a proper goodbye. He just gave them a quick wave and exited out the door.

* * *

Naoya ended up running into Mark and Yuka in Mikage-cho the autumn of next year. They changed so much. Mark still wore his iconic hat, but apparently, he decided to grow out a small beard on his chin. Yuka when back to her natural dark hair, and she was pushing a baby carriage with a baby inside. Walking beside her was a five-year-old girl with pigtails.

He knew better than to walk up to them and start a conversation. They didn’t bother to look up from their conversation to see him standing across the street. He could tell from the way they were looking at each other that they were happy as they could be.

It was a good thing Naoya did though. It turned out Mark and Yuka weren’t together at all. The three of them got a good laugh out of his misunderstanding.

“We’re sorry we couldn’t be in Sumaru City for the reunion,” they said. “But life got in the way.”

It turns out Mark was busy at an art exhibit in New York, and Yuka was pregnant with her second child.

As the three adults parted ways once more, Naoya felt glad to know they were doing fine, and they were glad to know he was doing fine as well.

* * *

Naoya saw Nanjo, Elly, Yukino, and Reiji through the frosted window one cold winter’s night. The four were in a diner, and they were talking over a hot cup of coffee. Nanjo’s iconic scarf was replaced with a number one tie. Yukino’s hair was just the same as before. Elly also kept her hairstyle, although it seems she was trying to grow it out. Reiji’s resemblance to Kandori got stronger.

Elly was the one who spotted him. She leaned over Nanjo and tapped the glass. With a smile, she beckoned him inside the diner. Nanjo, Yukino, and Reiji looked out the window and gave a small wave to him. For a minute, Naoya considered walking away.

Naoya ended up joining them for a quick cup of coffee. The four of them ended up talking about their lives so far. Yukino got a new job at a different newspaper. Elly ended up turning to talk about the supernatural (her modeling career ended a few years after their reunion in Sumaru City), and Reiji is still a salesman selling knives to support his family.

As for Nanjo, it turned out he's teaming up with the Kirijo Group to create a Persona-based organization. Elly, Yukino, and Reiji were some of the few Persona Users that agreed to it.

“You can join if you like,” they offered to him. “It would be nice to have a familiar face with us.”

“I would like to,” Naoya told them, “but I can’t. My life makes it too difficult to join. Sorry.”

They didn’t mind the fact Naoya turned down the offer. They were just glad to see him again, and Naoya was glad to see them again too.

* * *

Naoya never did saw Hidehiko again. At least, not in person per say.

He ended up seeing Hidehiko -or Brown, going by his official stage name- on a late night show on the small screen. Brown still looked the same after all these years. His show format resembled too much of one of those Western late night shows, but Naoya figure Brown wanted to do his own thing, and that turn out to be that. Brown ended up talking about one person in high school who couldn’t stop gambling. With a grin, Browned continued to rag on him.

Naoya couldn’t help but smile. It was nice to see Brown didn’t forget him.

Maki, on the other hand, he hadn't seen her in years. Normally it wouldn’t bother him, but…

_I haven’t seen her in almost sixteen years_ , thought Naoya, walking through the crowded sidewalks. _I knew this would happen eventually, but why does it hurt?_

The cherry blossoms were falling down, and Naoya gave a sigh. Spring was his least favorite season. It was a reminder of the day everyone parted ways. The day he made the first move. Naoya almost wished he didn’t do such a thing. If he hadn't, maybe things would have turned out differently. Maybe they would all still be in each other lives. Maybe they would all still be friends.

Naoya continue to walk, minding his own business, when he saw her. He only got a glimpse of her face, but he knew that beauty mark from anywhere.

It was Maki Sonomura. She looks almost exactly like she did when she was in high school.

Maki stopped walking also. Her expression was stoic, but her eyes were starting to water. Both of them were still, facing each other. They were only a few feet away from each other.

With a smile, Naoya gave her a small wave. Maki returned the smile and wave.

The two parted ways once more. Naoya continued walking one direction, while Maki walked the other direction.

As Naoya continued to walk, he sensed a change inside him. All those years ago, he worried about how such a group of friends like them would go their separate ways, with the possibility of none of them being in their lives anymore.

Naoya knew their bond was close and strong when they were teenagers. He won’t deny that. Now they were adults. They moved on. He moved on. The times changed. The seasons changed. Every single one of them changed for the better.

Everything the nine went through was just a distant memory. It was a memory that couldn’t be repeated, no matter how much they wanted to try. Yet their friendship was still there. That was the one thing it couldn’t be repeated at all. Friendships are unbreakable.

The thing about friendships is that they can change as well. Sometimes the closest friendships can turn into two people passing by each other.

And Naoya, after such a long time, was fine with that.


End file.
